the first piece among many
by when-the-silence-ends
Summary: "He still had a long way to go to fixing what was broken, but he had managed to find a piece he could glue back together. It was the first piece among many, but for now though, it was enough." Or Naruto finds out that he's not as alone as he thinks. part two of the road of life collection


_i haven't slept yet since i spent the night catching pokemon with my best friend and i'm tired, this hasn't been edited but it seems that this world writes it's self when i am sleep deprived._

 _its slightly happier but yeah_

 _when i wake up i may end up regretting posting it so early but oh well_

 _mistakes will be ahead otherwise_

 _enjoy_

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the first piece among many

* * *

" _By morning I was worn out. My limbs felt heavy as wood, my head cottony. I might've felt better if I hadn't slept at all."_

― _**Ransom Riggs**_ _,_ _ **Hollow City**_

* * *

He can't sleep. When he does his dreams are filled with red and yellow light, blood and chakra, a flash of steel and a burning rage. Even when he is awake Naruto is haunted by flashes of hazy memories and too intense emotions. So he walks when it gets too much and intense training or studying fail to keep the waking nightmare at bay. He walks around and through Kohona, and when he gets tired he keeps walking, until he can barely make it home. Sometimes he doesn't and one of his new ANBU guards will carry him back. Where he will fall into an exhausted sleep and wake up a few short hours later and repeat the process.

Naruto doesn't feel like he is really living. He wants to fix this, whatever it is but he doesn't know how to fix what's broken. He hates it, the attack was two and a half months ago, and still sometimes he wakes up and feels pain in his chest we're the kunai struck, or a burning in his throat along the scar that is a reminder of the end of his life as he knew it.

Naruto is just tired.

A few days after he woke up and was released from the hospital, the Hokage showed him to his parent's house and told him he would be allowed to stay there if he wanted. The first night in his new home had been hard, but he soon began to love the place. He had a big bed, more room than he knew what to do with, and a library that had everything in it to help him become the ninja his parents would be proud of. It's the only light in his life, it's a real home. A little lonely and sad but _home_.

It's one of those nights where he's walking, ignoring the stares that used to be filled with hate and now are filled with regret and pity, that everything began to change.

* * *

Shikaku was coming home from a troublesome council meeting when he sees Naruto. He remembers that night months ago, when he met the child's in the weapons shop not even an hour before his attempted murder. When he left for his home, he had a guy feeling that something wasn't right. After a few restless minutes at home, his wife told him to go.

"Trust your instincts Shikaku, go." Yoshino said, he hands on her hips as she stared at him from the doorway leading into the kitchen. "You'll wear away the carpet pacing like you are."

He couldn't help but fall in love with her all over again in that moment. But Shikaku was a ninja so he put his emotions in the back burner, kisses his wife and son goodbye and started running.

The scene he arrived at was horrifying. Naruto, Minato's son was on the ground covered in blood and stab wounds, red chakra seeping out from his body. His attacker was standing above him, maddness dripping from every pore as he went to bring the weapon back down upon the boy. Shikaku took this in in a matter of seconds, and acted just as quickly, his shadow shot out from under him and through the civilian, blood spraying down upon the boy.

Before the Nara clan head could approach the boy the dying blond, the red chakra exploded. The explosion does down revealing a changes Naruto with six tails of chakra coming from the cloak surrounding him. The tails seemed to waver, and the human-fox figure staggered, a seventh rail began to form, but it seemed that Naruto was resisting the Kyuubi because it started to shrink back. It waan fling before the Kyuubi won the battle and a flare of the corrosive chakra burst from the figure and the seventh and eighth tail formed.

Shikaku was tense, ready to fight, as others began to arrive and began circling the jinchuuriki. Before any of them could strike there was a flare of achingly familiar yellow chakra and the red chakra faded, revealing a naked six year old boy with a pale scar across his throat and a few across his chest. It seemed the Kyuubi couldn't heal it all.

The third arrived not a second later, giving out orders, and looking like a hokage for the first time in what felt like years.

He got home late the next morning, sad and wary, his wife and son were waiting but even that small comfort did not ease the growing ache in his stomach.

"Sometimes I really hate this village." He said quietly, holding his family close. "Minato's son-"

He didn't finish his sentence, but he knew his wife understood. When he finally settled down for the night, Yoshino held him as cried.

He realized then, staring at the boy months later that Naruto had no one to hold him while he cried. While he tried to figure out how to live after everything that happened. Shikaku hated himself for not realizing this sooner. He was smarter than that! But he didn't and the child was suffering for it. Naruto looked tired, dark bags under half closed blue eyes, he moved lethargically, each step seemed to be pushing him closer to passing out.

"Naruto," He called out and moved so he was a foot and a half in front of the boy. "How long have you been out walking?"

"Who are you?" He asked, his words slurred.

"My name is Nara Shikaku, I was a friend of your father. " He said, kneeling so he was eye level with the blond.

"I know who you are now." The child said quietly. "What do you want?"

"You look ready to fall over Naruto. I was just going home when I saw you."

Naruto took a step back, but lost his balance as he muttered. "I'm fine, I just was going on a walk."

Shikaku sighed, and reached out to steady the blond as he said, "It's late, you shouldn't be wandering at this time."

"Why do you care?" The hurt child bit out angrily. "I don't need your pity!"

"I don't pity you Naruto, but you just had your life uprooted, and you shouldn't be left to figure out how to adjust to everything by yourself. This isn't the time to be alone," He took a deep breath before continuing. "The village, no I've let you suffer alone long enough, I owe it to your parents, and to you to look after you, and it's time for me to do that."

"Why?" Naruto asked, wiping angrily at the tears falling from his eyes. "Why now?"

"I don't know if the Hokage explained it to you Naruto, but he kept your heritage a secret because your parents, your father especially, had a lot of enemies. The Hokage was afraid if the other ninja villages learned that you were his son that they would try to kill you. So those of us that were close to your parents weren't allowed to be close to you so that no one would put it together. Most of us tried to help you as discreetly as we could, but there was not much that we could do. Now that you and the village know, we can finally help you."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I should have talked to you earlier, I won't deny that, but I have a very important job and I got busy and I forgot. But I am here now, and I don't intend to leave you alone anymore."

"Do you mean that? I don't have to be alone?" Naruto asked through muffled sobs.

Shikaku's heart broke a little more at his question.

"No, I won't let that happen."

Naruto stared at the man in front of him hopefuly. He was wary to believe him but his heart ached with the need and want to believe him. Before he could think it through he was hugging the man. Shikaku didn't look at him like the villagers did, or the Third, he looked at him differently. He doesn't really understand it but it makes him feel hope. Like he can really live again.

"Come on, I'm sure my son won't mind sharing his bed for the night." Shikaku said stand up with Naruto still in his arms.

His ANBU guards nodded at the jounin commander and silently followed him to the Nara clan compound. When they got to his home the ANBU moved to the trees and shadows so they could still keep watch over their charge. Shikaku set NAruto down, and led him into the house. Yoshino was pacing in front of the window and when they came in she was at his side immediately. She gave him a quick relevied hug after he finished stepping out of his shoes. Then turned her attention to the sleepy blond.

"Come on Naruto, I'll show you to Shikamaru's room while my husband goes and changes." She said, holding out her hand for him to hold.

Naruto hesitated for a moment before taking her hand. "Won't he be bothered?"

"Shika is secretly a cuddle bug, so he won't mind. Come on."

"Thank you Mrs. Nara." He muttered as she led him through the house.

"Yoshino dear." She said with a smile, and opened a door Naruto hadn't realized they were in front of.

"Shikamaru, wake up a moment." She called into the dark room and switched on the light.

"Hmm, mom what is it." The dark haired boy sat up from what looked like a mound of pillows and blankets.

His gaze landed on Naruto a few seconds later. Understanding passed between the two of them silently. He shifted around freeing a couple pillows from his bundle and pulled back the blanket.

"Come on you can have these pillows."

"Okay." He said quietly and started towards the bed.

"Hold on Naruto, let's get you into some pajamas. They'll be a bit big since Shika is a tad bigger than you but they should work for the night." Yoshino said as she pulled out a pair of sleep pants and t-shirt from her son's dresser.

She quickly had him change into the garments. She didn't give the scars on his chest a next more than a passing glance, though her lips did turn down at the corners when she saw them. Naruto was relieved she didn't make a big deal out of it like he thought she would. One he was dressed she gently pushed him to the bed and walked to the door. He had just settled into the soft bed when she shut the light off with a quiet 'goodnight boys'.

"Goodnight." He muttered back along with a sleepy Shikamaru.

For the first time since the attack he had a decent night's sleep. Naruto wasn't sure why, maybe it was the energy of the Nara home or the lasting effects of the earlier conversation but his night was nightmare free.

When he woke the next morning, Shikamaru clinging to him like he as a stuffed animal, the hope remained. He still had a long way to go to fixing what was broken, but he had managed to find a piece he could glue back together. It was the first piece among many, but for now though, it was enough.

* * *

" _When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope."_

― _**Pittacus Lore**_ _,_ _ **I Am Number Four**_

* * *

 _i had to add my headcanon of a cuddly baby shikamaru. i hope you enjoyed this cause i did because i just love shika's fam and had to have them help hurt naruto_

 _yeah its probably utter shit but oh well_

 _thanks for reading the next one will be out whenever and it will probs be kakashi being mompy and what not_

 _-haley_


End file.
